Fighting for Survival
by Samantha Tragedy
Summary: Ryan and Sandy got in a fight...Ryan ran away...Sandy got a phone call...Something has gone terribly wrong. Finally updated!
1. Someone who needed help

**A/N Okay yea hi. I got this idea while I was reading another fic. And if anyone has any suggestions please...feel free. So I hope you like. If not that is nto my problem so here you go.**

**Disclaimer**- **I do not own the OC. If i did do you really think i would be sitting here writing this?**

"Ryan! Get back here!" Sandy screamed after him. "We are not done talking about this!"

"Talking? This isn't talking! This is you yelling at me!"

"Fine! Then I'm not done yelling about this!" He grabbed Ryan by the arm and pushed him on to the couch.

"What do you care anyway?"

"Ryan." Sandy said trying to calm himself. "I have told you before fighting is not the answer. Now tell me. Did you hit this kid?"

"He deserved it."

"Ryan!"

"What do you want me say! That I wished I hadn't done it! I'm not going to. The kid got what he deserved." Ryan got up and tried to get around Sandy but he wouldn't move.

"Where do you think your going? We're not done here."

"I am."

"Ryan! Don't walk away from this! You are in enough trouble as it is!"

"So! No one cares anyway! Just leave me alone!" With that the kid turned around and ran out of the house. He got in the range rover and quickly drove away.

_What does he know anyway._ Ryan thought to himself. _The kid deserved to be punched. He never should have shot off his mouth in the first place. _

Just then his cell phone rang. With out looking he shut it off, knowing it was Sandy. If he had looked at it, however, he would have known that is was not Sandy as he had originally suspected, but someone else. Someone who needed help.


	2. I appreiate it

**A/N Hey. Thanks to everyone who reviewed they were all really great. uh. Someone asked when this is set. Like, after the season 2 finale I guess. Kirsten's not there, but i'm kinda ignoring all the "Trey was shot by Marissa" drama. And the kid Ryan punched was just some random kid.**

**If you've ever read any thing else i've written clearly this isn't my best. I got the idea on a whim and just went with it with no planning what so ever, so if you dont like it i'll stop. And i wont get offended if you think it sucks. Also i know this is short but the next chapter i just finished and it is much better. Trust me. There's gonna be a cliff hanger, sorta **

Sandy paced nervously. Ryan had been gone for over 3 hours and he hadn't called or made any effort to contact him. Sandy knew Ryan had turned off his cell phone not wanting to talk. But since he got that call... just after Ryan had walked out the door...

_Oh god. How am I going to tell Ryan what happened._ After the first call Sandy recieved he tried in vain to reach Ryan. But after the second, he was afraid Ryan would hear the news from someone else first.

"Hey dad." Seth said as he walked in the door. "Did he come home yet?"

"No. Anyone say they've seen him?" He had sent out Seth and the girls right after the first phone call. But so far they hadnt had any more luck than he had.

"No no one."

"I think I'm gonna call the police and ask them to track down the range rover."

"Dad. What is the big deal? He's probably just a little angry. He'll come back in a couple more hours at the most."

"Seth. I got a phone call today. Just after he left. And right now I need to find him." He picked up the phone and started dialing the number of one of his police officer friends.

"Police Department, Officer Morand."

"Shane? Sandy Cohen."

"Sandy. Nice to hear from you. What can I do for ya?"

"It's about my son. He took the car and he's been gone for a couple of hours. I was hoping you could track him down for me."

"Sure. Not a problem. Licensce plate?" Sandy quickly gave it to him. " Okay Sandy, we'll find him for ya and bring him to your house."

"Thanks Shane. I really appreiate it."


	3. Running

**A/N okay here it is. sorry for the delay. school...essays..proofs.. I'll try to make the next one longer. But only if you guys review more!**

**I know you guys want to know who called and i was going to tell you from the beginning and i've tried to every chapter since then but it just doesn't fit with the dirrection of the story. but i just finished the next chapt. and u will find out in that. **

Ryan sat at the beach. He knew Sandy would come looking for him, so he ditched the car about 2 miles back. As night fell however, he began to think about his options.

_I should go back to the Cohen's, Sandy's probably really worried. It's been hours since I left. But I can't go back. I'm in even more trouble now then I was for just hitting someone. Maybe I shoud go back to Chino and see Theresa. Wait. No. She moved to Atlanta._

All of a sudden his thoughts were interuppted by the sound of sirens. He looked down the beach and could barely make out a cop car stopping by the range rover. Without another thought Ryan took off running.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sandy was getting even more worried about Ryan. Ever since he had gotten that second phone call... _Dammit Ryan!_ He thought. _Where the hell are you!_

Even Seth was starting to get worried about his brother. At first he thought everyone was just over reacting but it had been so long since Ryan left. And it was starting to get dark out.

He was also worried about his dad. He had never seen him so scared as he had been in the last few hours.

_Riiiing. Riiiiiiing. _Sandy lunged for the phone as soon as it rang. Beating Seth but not by much.

"Ryan?"

"Sandy. It's Shane. We found the car but your kid was gone."

"Where'd you find it?"

"About 5 miles out of town. Near the the back beach."

"Shane, I-"

"Don't worry. I already have some of my guys on the case. There combing the area as we speak."

"Thanks Shane. I'm on my way out there right now."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan could hear people shouting his name. He knew they must be looking for him. That meant Sandy was really worried about all this. Now he really couldn't go back after putting them throught this. He looked up and saw a bus station about a 1/4 a mile away. He ran for it, bought a ticket, and was on a bus heading out of Newport before anyone even noticed he had been there.


	4. This Time

**Fighting for Survival**

**By Samantha Tragedy**

**Chapter 4 This time**

**A/N I don't own. Don't sue. Sorry it took so long but look! you know who called and it's longer and i will update again next weekend!**

"Dad! Please tell me what happened! Tell me who called!" Seth was frustrated with everyone. He wanted his brother back. Ryan had been gone now for almost 16 hours and no one had seen or heard from him.

"Seth, I-" Sandy was cut off by the ringing of his phone. Seth sighed in annoyance as the ever present ring tone. Sandy held up his hand, telling Seth to be patent. However, patience is not one of Seth's strong pionts. He was on the way out the door to head to Summer's so they could go looking looking together when he heard-

"What? You saw him? Where?" Seth came running back into the kitchen.

"Okay...Yes, thank you so much. I really appriate it." Sandy hung up the phone and Seth looked at him expactantly.

"So?"

"Someone said they spotted him."

"Well, that's great! Where is he?"

"On a bus headed for Atlanta."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well, if he's not there yet than you can get to him right? You can have a cop meet him before he gets off?"

"Seth. It's just not that simple. Plus he does not need to be in Atlanta right now. Or anywhere else near there for that matter."

"Why?" Seth asked curious of what his dad was still hiding. "That's where Theresa is. At least you'd know he was safe and not going somewhere dangerous."

"Seth, Theresa's not in Atlanta any more."

"What? Why not? Where the hell is she?"

"Seth. Language please."

"Dad! Tell me what your hiding!"

"Seth, Theresa died yesterday okay."

"What?"

"Yea, a drug overdose."

"Oh my God."

"That's not all. They found a suicide note. In it she said she was sorry for lying to Ryan about the baby. It said the baby was somewhere safe now. Where no one could ever hurt him."

"Oh my God. Dad. This is going to kill him."

"I know Seth, I know."

Ryan sat on a bench lost inhis thoughts. He couldn't believe it. There was just no way.

The Cohens actually cared about him. He had seen the news last night. It was now 10 am. The report had said that he was a runaway and a possible danger to himself. Well, that was definatly true at the moment. He had definatly put himself in danger coming back here.

He had bought the ticket for Atlanta but then realized he didn't even know how to find Theresa once he got there. He got off the bus and went for Chino instead. He was on his way to Theresa's old house right now. Hoping maybe her mom would be there and she could tell him how to reach Theresa.

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here?" Ryan turned around slowly reconizing the voice the moment he heard it. _oh God no! please no!_

"Tell me Ryan, how are the rich people treatin' ya?" It was AJ his mothers boyfriend._ Shit._ he had to get out of there. He turned to run but AJ, suspecting he was going to. grabbed him around the middle and punched him in the face. _Hard._

Ryan, unprepared for the blow, fell to the ground with a sickining crack when his head met concrete. AJ kicked Ryan in the stomach repeatedly until he was positive he had broken a good number of ribs. The he went got in a few more good punchs in to Ryan's face before leaning down to talk to him.

"That's for leaving your mother you worthless piece of shit" Ryan was so out of it by this time his words barely registered.

He watched as AJ slowly walked away. Lying there for a good twenty minutes to make sure he wasn't coming back. He knew he had to get to a phone. But he was afraid to move. Afraid the one of his painfully broken ribs might puncture a lung if it hadn't already.

He tried to get up but when he stood he felt dizzy imediatly and feel to the ground, his head hitting the pavement once again. But this time he lost consiousness. This time he didn't wake up. This time no one was there to help him. This time he was all on his own. For good.


	5. Pain

**Fighting for Survival**

**By Samantha Tragedy**

**Chapter 5 Pain**

**A/N Hey everyone! I kept my promise! Another update! But I can't promise another one for next weekend cause I have a Mock Trial tournament Friday and Saturday. Then Sunday I'm in charge of a huge penny war kick off for my church. Then the next weekend I may be in Madison and the one after that Chicago. Plus I have another Mock Trial tournament in there and finals. And a whole new schedule of classes! Not one will stay the same! Then I have a forensics competition in there also. And my school Drama travel troupe is starting soon. And spring play tryouts are this month and so are the community play tryouts. So, needless to say I'm a tad busy. But I swear I will find time for this! In between writing my English speech, doing my three book reports, and finishing my English notebook tonight. I plan to write another chapter! So don't freak! I will update in the next week (I hope) I just don't know when! Wow! Long A/N sorry. **

"Where the hell is he?" Sandy shouted in frustration. He wasn't sure what to do anymore. All the local new stations were running Ryan's photo and now the national media had taken to the story. They had "fallen in love" with the blond hair, blue eyed teenager who "didn't know his place in the world"

How the hell they had come to that conclusion Sandy had no idea. But it meant that more people would be looking for him and could spot him. However it also meant that Ryan wouldn't be able to go any where without being recognized, which could push him to drastic measures

Just then the phone rang and Seth ran to pick it up praying it was good news on his brother.

"Hello?"

"Seth! Let me talk to your father right now!"

Seth paled at the voice and not wanting to get into anything that would put him into trouble immediately shouted for his father. "Dad! It's Mom! She sounds angry!" About 3 seconds later he heard his father pick up the extension and he gently set the phone back in its place.

"Kirsten?"

"Sandy? What the hell is going on! Ryan is missing and you don't think to call me? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Honey calm down."

"No! I will not calm down! My son is in danger, his picture is all over the news and you don't think to call me?"

"Kirsten, please just listen to me."

"Fine."

"Ryan and I had a little disagreement, he left and when he didn't come back last night I got a little worried and called a few of my friends down at the police department. They needed a picture and said the more exposure the story got the faster we could get Ryan back."

"What the hell does this have to do with the fact that you didn't call me?"

"Well, I was trying to do everything that I could to get Ryan media exposure. Honey, he could be anywhere in the world right now for all I know and I really am starting to worry. It's not like him not to call, no matter how mad or angry he gets."

"Oh, Sandy." Kirsten's voice softened right away.

Little did they know Ryan would call them if he could. He would have done anything for help at the moment.

He woke up later that day. His sense of time and place completely off. He had no idea where he was or what time it was. All he could think about was how much pain he was in. He laid on the sidewalk for a long time. Not sure if he would be able to walk or not. He reached for his cell phone and saw that it was 4 o'clock in the afternoon. He had been gone now for 24 hours.

He sat up as slowly as humanly possible. _Ow._ That really hurt. Walking was defiantly out of the question. At least for a while anyway. He was just going to have to sit here and try to deal with it. What else could he do? He couldn't call the Cohens. They must hate him by now. Seth. Seth would help him.

He flipped open his phone and dialed Seth. It rang and rang but no one picked up. _damn it! Seth! Why the hell aren't you answering your phone! I need you man!_

Seth walked up to his room after his mom had called. He needed some time to think. It was 6 o'clock now and no one had seen anything since they had received the last phone call about Ryan on a bus headed to Atlanta. He couldn't stop thinking about the news with Theresa and how it would effect his brother.

When he got to his room he heard a beeping and looking around found the annoying sound to be coming from his phone. _Crap. Summer or Marissa must have called to see if I had heard anything on Ryan._ He flipped it open and saw he had 1 missed call.

He checked the number and was shocked when he saw Ryan's name flashing on his screen. He clicked to see how long ago he had gotten the message. 4:15. _Shit. That was almost two hours ago._

"Dad!" Seth shouted as he turned to his bedroom door and flew out of his room. "Dad! Your not going to believe this!"

"Seth. Please don't shout it's been a long day."

"No! Dad! Look at my phone! Ryan called!"

"What! Give it to me!" Seth handed his dad his cell and watched in anticipation as his dad quickly decided what to do.

"Okay, Seth. This is what were going to do. Ryan obviously wants to talk to you. Other wise he just would have called the house. I need you to call him and find out where he is. Tell him he needs to come home and that he is not in any trouble we just want him back."

"Okay." Seth took a deep breath. He knew they only had one shot at this and that if Ryan thought for one second that they were trying to trick him, he wouldn't tell them anything. He dialed Ryan's number praying he would pick up.

Ryan saw Seth's name flash across his cell phone screen. He was now sitting on a bench about 100 feet from where he had been beat up.

"Seth?"

"Ryan! Thank God! Where are you man?"

"I'm-I'm..." He trailed off. The pain in his ribs increasing greatly. "Ow."

"Ow? You're ow. Ryan are you hurt? Did something happen?"

"Yeah"

"Yeah? Yeah what? Which one?"

"Both."

"Ryan, dude, I know I'm usually the talker. But right now I need your help on this. I need you to tell me where you are so I can help you. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay, where are you?"

"I'm-I'm in-um-" He couldn't tell him. He didn't know how. How could he just say he was in Chino, where he had been beaten up by his former mother's boyfriend. As soon as he told Seth where he was he would turn around and tell his dad. He was still trying to decide what to do when the choice was made for him. "AAAHHH"

Seth heard his brother scream in pain and flipped. "Ryan! RYAN! What's wrong! Come on man!"

More of Ryan screaming in agony and suddenly the phone went silent. He looked at the screen. _Battery Dead_ flashed across his screen "SHIT!"


	6. AN

2 words: Pain, Hospital

I will do my best to update soon.

Samantha Tragedy


	7. What if He Was

**Fighting for Survival**

**By Samantha Tragedy**

**Chapter 6 What if He Was**

**A/N Hey everyone! Sorry for the small delay but I have a good reason! I was in a car accident Wednesday. (I guess Wednesdays just aren't my day) So I apologize for shortness.**

"And now for the story America has been following relentlessly since late last night. Ryan Atwood, a 17 year old from Newport, California, has not yet been found. We received information, that he tried to contact his brother but the call was disconnected. Jenna West has more."

"Thank you, Allen. I'm standing here with Ryan Atwood's foster brother Seth Cohen. Seth you said you walked into room and heard your cell phone beeping from a missed call. Did you immediately think it was your brother?"

"No, I thought it was our friends calling to see if we had heard anything on Ryan."

"What did you do when you realized it was Ryan?"

"I got my dad and asked what I should do, he told me to call him back, so I did. He answered and then I asked him to tell me where he was and he started to but then, then he, uh he, he started to sc-scream. Like he was in-in pain. Then my phone died."

"Thank you very much, Seth. Allen, this is obviously a very hard time for the Cohen family. We have also been trying to reach Ryan's biological family and have been unsuccessful thus far."

"Jenna, are the police doing anything to try and find where the phone call came from?"

"Yes. The Newport Phone Company has been a big help to the police in trying to track the phone call and they should be able to any minute. However, the people here are most concerned about Ryan's actual physical condition. They are afraid that once they find out where he is and then get there, he will be gone."

"Jenna West reporting live from Newport, California. And here is the teen's picture once again. Please look at this picture carefully. Police say he bought a bus ticket for Atlanta, Georgia and that he may be in that area. He is most likely seriously injured so could possibly be looking for a hospital. Coming up..."

Seth went back inside the house after the interview. All the major news stations had gotten either him, his father, Summer, or Marissa. They were trying to get Ryan's picture in the news as much as possible. They wanted everyone to be looking for him. They needed everyone to be looking for him.

Once inside Seth went up to his room and laid down on his bed. He looked over at his nightstand and saw Captain Oats. He picked him up and looked at him.

"Hey Man. It's been awhile since our last talk. I guess I haven't really been needing you as much since Ryan got here. But-" Seth stuttered as he chocked back tears. "But he's not here anymore. He's gone. He and Dad got in a fight an-and he left. And I don't know where he is." Seth, now crying freely, sat up.

"He called. He called me and I wasn't here. He was going to tell me where he was but- but my phone died. He sounded like he was in so much pain. He sounded like he was di-dieing! Oh God! What if he _was _dieing! Oh my god!" Seth cried himself to sleep that night. The poor kid was so exhausted. He had been putting all his energy into finding his brother because soon his brother may be gone for good.

**A/N To my Reviewer: I LOVE all of you! And they motivate me so much! But i write faster if I don't reply. I tried to but I just can't reply to everyone. And I plan on updating again this weekend so don't freak! I just had to end it here!**


	8. Goodbye

**Fighting for Survival**

**By Samantha Tragedy**

**Chapter 7 Goodbye**

**A/N I tried something different in this chapter. Not only is it a song fic. It's a very different style of writing I tried. This is a dramatic chapter. And if you listen to _Say Goodnight not Goodbye _while you read it will make it so much better. **

**Contest!- If you can tell me the series this song is from I'll dedicate the next chapter to you. Hint: This song was played during the couple meant to be together's first kiss.**

_**Say Goodnight. Not Goodbye. You will never leave my heart behind.**_

Ryan woke up with so much pain in his head, he wished he had never woke up. He opened his eyes as slow as he could. _Ow. _He snapped them back shut. That hurt way too much. Five minutes later he was finally able to show the world his baby blues.

_**Like the path of a star, I'll be anywhere you are **_

Then he sat up. That took even longer than opening his eyes. _Damn it! _He groaned in pain. Now that he was sitting up he looked around and realized with more than a little horror that he had no idea where he was. _Shit. This is bad._

_**In the spark that lies beneath the cove, in the secret place inside your soul.**_

He looked to his left and saw a lot of blood and felt faint. _No way is that mine._ But it was. He looked up when he heard a voice. Some people were running towards him. They were shouting. But what were they saying? They were defiantly saying something. He could see their mouths moving. He felt his head pounding. He felt himself fall slowly backward.

_**Keep my life in your eyes. Say goodnight, not goodbye.**_

And he didn't see it. But the people running towards him did. They saw him as he fell back and ran faster to try to stop it. But they weren't fast enough. His head hit the sidewalk. For the second time. But they didn't know that.

_**Don't you fear, when you dream, waking up is never what it seems.**_

All they saw was the kid they had seen on TV, blood all around him. Pale as ghost. This kid must have lost a lot of blood. "Call an Ambulance!" someone shouted. So they did. But as they knelt on the ground, looking at the teen, lying in so much blood, they thought.

_**Like a jewel ,very deep. Like a promise meant to keep. **_

_He is so young. _

_I wonder what happened to him. _

_There isn't a chance in hell he'll live. _

_Too bad. He looked like he could have been cute._

_Stupid kids! Always thinking their immortal!_

_He looks so sad. _

_Someone must have cared a lot about him to put his picture all over the news like that._

_That poor family. Now someone will have to tell them their son is dead._

_The media is going to love the ending of this story._

_Serves the idiot right! A Newport kid in Chino! Should have known better._

_Why did he even come back? Theresa is gone now. Their wasn't anything left for him. Now there isn't much left to _him

_**You are everything you outta to be. So just let your heart reach out to me.**_

When the ambulance arrived and took the kid away, the five friends walked away. No one, not even the one who actually knew Ryan, noticed his cell phone.

It rang and rang. Seth's name flashing across the screen. Seth becoming increasingly frustrated with each passing moment. He was on his way to Chino with his dad. The call had come not more than 10 minutes ago. They had tracked Ryan's call. He was in Chino.

Seth laughed to himself as he flipped his phone shut. Ryan got him. He got him good. Here he was thinking he was on the other side of the country. When he wasn't more than an hour's drive the whole time. This was unbelievable. Seth was worried about his brother but right now he was pissed off.

He was more than pissed off. He wanted to hit him and hit him hard. He had no right to run away like that. Sure, Seth had done it himself. But he had left a note. They knew exactly were he was the entire time. He called them and told them he was okay. How could his brother do this to him? Again?

"He's barely alive! We gotta work fast!" The paramedics went to work the second they put him in the back of the bus.

"We're here!" The driver shouted as the back doors flew open. Doctors were surrounding the kid immediately.

_**I'll be right by your side. Say goodnight. Not goodbye.**_

"He's lost a lot of blood!" They worked as hard and as fats as they could. They tried really they did. It wasn't their fault it happened. It wasn't anyones fault really. Except for AJ. AJ could be blamed for this. Or maybe even Ryan himself. He never should've run away in the first place. He could've worked it out. Now he would never get the chance.

_**You are everything you outta to be. So just let your heart reach to me.**_

Is it true? Is is true that your life flashes before you eyes when you die? I wouldn't know. But Ryan? Ryan will know. He will know. Actually he's learning right now. As the doctors rush around him. Doing their best to prevent the inevitable.

_**Keep me life, in your eyes. Say goodnight, not goodbye.**_

Maybe everyone will be better off with out him. He never really did belong here. He never really belonged anywhere. He saw Trey, Dawn, his Dad, then Sandy, Seth, Marissa, Summer, and Kirsten. And then Theresa. Telling him to only say goodnight it meant you'll see them later. Goodbye was forever.

_**Say goodnight, not goodbye.**_

And as Ryan remembered her. He saw her as if she was real and not just a picture like the others were. She looked so peaceful. And that's all that he wanted. "Goodbye." He whispered.

Beeeeeeeeepppppppp.

**A/N I know, I know. You hate me. I'm sorry but I love this song and I needed this chapter. The next chapter will be up soon. I hope. I have another Mock trial Tournament Friday and Saturday and a job interview Sunday. So... don't kill me. And don't ask me what happens to Ryan. I don't even know yet. Just REVIEW! Tell me if you like it! And the beep at the end was supposed to signify Ryan flat lining. **


	9. Beeping

**Fighting for Survival**

**By Samantha Tragedy**

**Chapter 8 Beeping**

**A/N Yeah, It's been forever. And I'm sorry. But I'm back and you now know is he alive or dead? Hmm... read and find out.**

**Also I want to dedicate this entire story to the March 2 victims from my school. Your memories will live with all of us forever. We miss you. RIP**

Seth was getting on Sandy's nerves more and more by the minute. He knew the kid was just worried about Ryan, but still he just wouldn't shut up. And right now Sandy was so worried himself that Seth's ever-present babble was not helping.

"SETH!" Sandy shouted at him, "Stop talking."

Seth looked at his dad with the face of someone who just lost their best friend. And yet he had just lost his best friend. Ryan ran away and now he was hurt and their was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

Seth didn't like the feeling of being helpless and that's exactly how he felt right now. He turned away from his dad and stared out the window.

"Seth, I'm sorry. I'm just a little-" Sandy started to apologize but Seth interrupted.

"Don't worry about it Dad. I understand." He never took his eyes off the window. They drove to the hospital in silence the rest of the way. They had gotten the call from Kirsten just outside of Chino. She told them that the Chino Hospital had called and said to get there as soon as possible. Seth wasn't a doctor but he knew that couldn't be good.

Sandy parked the car and both him and Seth sprinted to the emergency room doors.

"My-My brother." Seth wheezed out of breath from running and worry. "Ryan Atwood. Is he okay?"

"Just a second sir." The lady behind the desk moved to the computer to type in the name. Sandy ran in just in time to hear her next sentence. "Yes, I'll page his doctor for you. Please have a seat in the waiting room."

Even though the answer was not what either had wanted to hear, they went in the direction the lady had pointed and did their best to keep from thinking about the 'what if's' in the situation. After what felt like hours but was really only a few minutes, a middle aged man in a white coat came out and asked for the family of Ryan Atwood. Sandy was in front of the doctor in seconds and Seth wasn't far behind.

"Yes? I'm his legal guardian, is he going to be okay?"

The doctor looked at him for a few painful seconds before he finally told them the words they had been desperate to hear since this whole ordeal began. "He's stable."

Both Seth and Sandy let out an audible sigh before Sandy told Seth to go call his mother and let her know what was going on before turning his attention back to the doctor.

"However you should know, on the way here, while in the ambulance, we lost him for a few moments." Sandy's heart dropped at these words, he couldn't believe how close they had come to actually losing their son. Because that's exactly what Ryan had become to them. Another son.

"The EMTs were able to revive him. However the internal bleeding proved to be a major problem once he got here. He lost a lot of blood and we had to give him several transfusions. The blow to the head didn't help either. He definitely has a concussion and most undeniably a nasty headache when he wakes up. He broke several ribs and punctured a lung, which luckily, we were able to repair. Along with a broken left ankle, he had a sprained left wrist, which we're both set and placed in casts. Mr. Cohen, he is stable for the moment, but he is not out of the woods yet. The next 24 hours will be crucial. But if all goes well, he should be fine."

"Can I see him?" After hearing all of Ryan's horrible injuries, all Sandy wanted to do was comfort him from all the pain.

"He's not awake, but you can sit with him. Room 306." By this time Seth was back and anxious to see his friend as well.

"Thank you doctor."

"Mom's on her way." Seth said as they walked over to the elevators. "She said she'd be here as soon as she could." Sandy nodded and as the elevator came to a stop, they got out and found Ryan's room almost immediately.

They stood outside the door for a few moments, Sandy trying to prepare himself for seeing his son hooked up to too many machine and in too much pain, and Seth preparing himself to see his best friend and brother, who had always been so strong, laying in a hospital bed, fighting back from death.

But no amount of preparing could have readied them for the sight they saw. Ryan lay on the bed, bruised on every inch of visible skin. Bandages covered every other part of him. An IV with what looked like 10 bags hooked to it, was slowly dripping. The heart monitor beeped with a persistent rhythm.

Sandy couldn't believe that the beeping had actually stopped for Ryan. And that was when he remembered about Theresa. And that for her, the beeping stopped for good. And once again he remembered how hard it was going to be to tell Ryan. He realized he didn't care about the fight anymore, or the fact that Ryan had tried to run from his problems. But he did make a mental note to talk with Ryan about the last one.

All he cared about was that Ryan was going to be okay.

"Our top story tonight is that of Ryan Atwood. The teen missing from Newport, California since late Thursday afternoon. We now know he has been found in Chino, California, not more than 60 miles away from his home in Newport. And although he has been found he is not yet safe. Jenna West, who has been covering this story since it unfolded has more."

"Thanks Allen. New reports show the Mr. Atwood has been severely beaten. By who is still under investigation. Doctors say Ryan is stable but he has many broken bones and suffers from a punctured lung, broken bones, and a severe concussion among his many bruises. Police say they won't know exactly what happened to Ryan until he wakes up, which if all goes as planned should be within the next 12 hours. But the real question is--"

Seth flipped the T.V. off before the reporter could continue. He sat in a chair on one side of the bed, while his parents sat on the other side. His mother reading some sappy romance novel, his father doing paper work from the office. Once Kirsten had gotten there, the two men had gone home to shower and change, and when they came back they all sat, waiting for Ryan to wake up, but at the same time, sacred to tell him about what had happened.

"Anyone want coffee?" Both parents gratefully accepted and Seth left to go get it as well as call the girls. Summer picked up after just the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Hey, did he wake up?"

"No. I was just calling to see how you and Marissa are."

"We're fine. Don't worry about us."

"Is Marissa with you?" Seth asked, ignoring his girlfriends last comment.

Summer rolled her eyes, even though he couldn't see it. "Yes, Cohen. She is and she's anxiously waiting for Ryan to wake up so she can come down their and see him."

"Awww. Is paradise back for our favorite hero-and-damsel-in-distress-duo?"

"Shut up Cohen."

"Oh come on, you know you love them too."

"Actually, I'm waiting for Ryan to wake up so I can come down their and yell at him for being so selfish and scaring us like that." She had a certain seriousness to her voice and Seth was very glad he wasn't Ryan.

"Well then I better go tell him to stay asleep to he doesn't have to deal with one of your rage blackouts."

"Cohen!"

"On second thought better him than me." The two continued their banter until Seth realized he was supposed to be getting coffee for his parents. "Hey Sum, I better go, I'm on coffee duty."

"Okay, call when Ryan wakes up."

"I will. Love you, bye"

"Love you too, bye"

As he disconnected he began to look around for something that might hint to him where he may be able to find some coffee. After wondering around for a good ten minutes he finally went to a nurses station and asked them. He went in the direction they told them, got lost anyway, finally found the coffee, then got lost on his way back to the room.

When he reentered his parents looked up at each other sharing a knowing smile.

"Seth. What took so long?" Sandy asked of the curly haired boy.

"Well, father, with my magnificent good looks and wonderful charm, I just couldn't keep the ladies off of me. Really it's a miracle I'm still alive." After handing his parents their coffee he sat down in his chair and looked back at them with a cocky smile.

"Seth, don't be arrogant." His mother scolded.

"Mother!" Seth feigned hurt. "Are you saying that you don't appreciate my superb witty personality?"

"That's exactly what she's saying." Sandy looked at his son with an amused smile on his face.

"Doesn't anyone appreciate me?" Seth asked with mock tears.

"No." Came a whispered answer from the bed.

All three heads turned immediately to the bruised body on the bed. Two baby blue eyes stared back at them. "Now could someone tell me what happened?"

**A/N Yeah, I know you hate me, but you will still review! Please! I also want to thank those who reviewed in the last few weeks, without you this story would still be on hiatus. I'll update soon and this time I really will but only if I get a lot of reviews!**

**XOXO,**

**Samantha Tragedy**


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